Water Damage And Mold

Some good friends of mine in New Hampshire lived in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. Everytime I visited them I was surprised at how strong the musty basement smell was. They had a severe case of water damage and the mold that follows.

I mentioned it to the mother and she told me that the entire family had developed runny noses, irritated eyes, sneezing, etc. since living there.

The owner of the house refused to do anything, other than spray Lysol! Eventually they had to move and their allergic reactions vanished at once.

I was told the house had been condemned and was to be demolished. This is how bad water damage and mold can become, if left untreated. The real estate value of the house dropped so low, it could not even be sold!

Mold and allergies

The connection between mold and allergies is well known and understood. If you suspect that your house has mold, bacteria or fungi living in it, you need to have it inspected.

I have seen basements with actual mushrooms growing! The owner was told to paint over the basement walls with "special paint." This was ridiculous and did nothing to solve the problem. Water damage and mold are serious indications of a big problem and need to be addressed.

The time you may experience the most problem with mold is when you are trying to clean it up. For most people in good health, small amounts of mold spores do not pose a problem. However, for people with allergies or asthma, the reactions can be severe.

If the area is small, for example, around a sink or bathtub, you can safely clean the mold. If the problem is extensive and has spread though a large area, you should get professional help.